LDS BOOKSTORE FEUD SHOULD END
Rotary has something called the four-way test.
It's a simple, 70-year-old series of questions you can use to decide whether or not you're doing what's right. It applies to business and life.
Here's what it says: "Of the things we think, say or do --
"1. Is it the truth?
"2. Is it fair to all concerned?
"3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
"4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?"
I think it is a good test, and a good standard to hold to. Of course the best standard for our dealings with other people -- in business or life -- came from the Savior. Love your neighbor as yourself and do unto others as you would have others do unto you. That's a pretty simple, straightforward morality that most people can understand and all people can live.
But few do.
I raise this because of a recent decision by Deseret Book, a business in Salt Lake City. The company publishes books and runs book stores. It has said that it will no longer wholesale its books to Seagull Book, a competing book store that is owned by a competing book publisher -- Covenant Communications. Covenant Communications started Seagull Book stores when Deseret Book stores would not carry Covenant titles.
It is probably foolish of me to write about this, as I am about to have a book out myself, which hopefully will sell in both Deseret Book and Seagull outlets. But there is no honor in either silence or fear. And I don't make these observations as a criticism. I am a customer and admirer of both Deseret Book and Seagull Book. I own many books published by Deseret Book and Covenant Communications. What I want to see is them both continue in business, serving readers and employing clerks.
And I'm worried that's not going to happen.
Because the almost-unavoidable consequence of Deseret Book's decision is to put Seagull Book out of business. Titles published by Deseret Book are the most desired in the niche served by these two companies. They are the premier catalog of titles. At Seagull Book, a large share of the products sold are published by Deseret Book. Without the Deseret Book product, it is not likely Seagull Book can survive.
So this decision by Deseret Book has real-world impact on a company and its employees and customers.
Which makes you wonder why the decision is being made.
Deseret Book says it is withdrawing its titles because Seagull Book has not used sales-support materials supplied for Deseret Book products. That means posters and displays. Deseret Book says it's not happy with the way Seagull Book displays and promotes Deseret Book products.
Which doesn't make sense. Retail display and placement is the prerogative of the retailer. In fact, shelf-space percentages and preferential placements are usually paid for by the makers of products. If a bottler wants a guaranteed amount of shelf space for its product, it pays the retailer a fee. If a soup company wants its product on the end of an aisle where people will see it more readily, it pays for the privilege. Placement and promotion are only the business of the wholesaler if the wholesaler pays for it. Otherwise, it's up to the retailer.
Personally, as I've shopped at Seagull Book, I've never noticed that the Deseret Book products were hidden away. They've always seemed to be prominent and purchasable.
So I don't know if I believe Deseret Book's stated reason for pulling its product from Seagull Book's shelves.
It may be just be a coincidence, but the decision stands to potentially make Deseret Book a lot of money and give it a near-monopoly on its market. Seagull and Deseret are the two significant retailers in their niche. Deseret is the older operation and Seagull is the discount operation. The presence of Seagull has pushed prices lower at Deseret. If Seagull does go out of business, Deseret will be left the only game in town and it will lose price competition.
As I understand economics, that means higher prices for customers.
And as a customer, I'm not excited about that.
So I go back to Rotary's four-way test. I am not criticizing or condemning, I'm just politely encouraging.
Is this deal the truth? Possibly not. Deseret Book's justification seems unlikely.
Is this deal fair to all concerned? Definitely not. It is not fair to Seagull Book, which has built its business on the presumption of access to Deseret Book products.
Will this deal build goodwill and better friendships? Absolutely not. It has only fostered bitterness and cynicism. It has exacerbated the bad blood between these two useful companies.
Will this deal be beneficial to all concerned? A resounding no. It will be beneficial to Deseret Book. But it will not be beneficial to Seagull Book and its owners. Nor will it be beneficial to the Seagull Book employees who might lose their jobs. Nor will it ultimately be good for the customers of both businesses, which will lose the pricing and innovation benefits of competition. For Deseret Book to benefit, many others must suffer.
Which doesn't seem to pass the "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" test.
This is a very sad and unfortunate turn of events. And I would earnestly urge Deseret Book to reconsider.
Because there should not be hard feelings between brothers, and because this level of cutthroat business should not be engaged in by religious publishers. At the end of the day, people use the products of these two companies because they want to get closer to God. They are looking for inspiration. This isn't Coke and Pepsi, this is something else altogether.
If this isn't anything more than a retail fight, and these products are nothing more than merchandising, isn't this priestcraft and shouldn't it be chased from the temple with the moneychangers? Isn't there a higher calling involved with these products? Certainly, there is profit to be made and businesses to run, but if it's all just a profiteering from faith, we should be ashamed of ourselves. If it is, however, a service to people, the providing to them of various products that encourage, inform and respect their faith, then let's act like it.
Let's live up to the products on the shelves.
Let's live up to the people who walk through the doors.
The world is big enough for Deseret Book and Seagull Book. Their products should be on one another's shelves. They should focus on improving themselves, not eliminating one another. They should rejoice in the good they can do and the willingness of their shoppers to purchase their products.
I'm a customer, and I want them both. And I want to know that their feud is over.
- by Bob Lonsberry © 2006
